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Construction Students Gain First-Hand Experience of Health and Safety On-Site

30 November 2017

Rotherham College Construction students were invited by Willmott Dixon this week to visit University Centre Rotherham (UCR) to see the latest development of the build, as well as learn more about health and safety in the workplace. The aim of the visit was to put theory into practice, giving students the chance to experience a real-life building site that they are likely to work on once they leave education.

Students were firstly given an introduction to the site by Alan Neal, Construction Manager for Willmott Dixon, who spoke to the students about the importance of health and safety on a construction site, how to spot a hazard and avoid serious incidents. Alan said, “we’re not just responsible for ourselves, we’re responsible for everyone else. Health and safety is first priority, and it’s important to have this mind-set and behaviour from the beginning.”

Students were then taken up to the second floor of the build, and were asked to point out any potential hazards they had noticed and how to overcome them. Alan also invited students to ask any questions they may have about working on a building site, as well as the career path of a Construction Manager or any other potential job roles in construction.

Ellie Tizard is a Bricklaying student from Rotherham College – she said, “I’ve really enjoyed the experience of being on a real-life site, and finding out more about the importance of what you need to consider to make sure yourself and others are safe.”

“What’s great about the Bricklaying course is seeing how much you can accomplish if you are willing to work hard enough, as well as how many skills I’ve developed throughout the year – I’m hoping to get straight into work or onto an apprenticeship as soon as I’ve completed my studies.”

Before the end of the visit, students had the chance to watch a short video of the development of UCR and the process of the build, showing plans of what UCR will look like in completion. Vince Shaw, Bricklaying tutor at Rotherham College said, “I think this opportunity to visit a working site will re-focus the work that the students take on in college. Learning about the importance of health and safety in the workplace now rather than later, will only better prepare them for the outside world once they leave College.”

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